Lehr loader



4- w. L. MONAMARA mm. 5

LEHR LOADER 15 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed 0012.31, 1942 INVENTORS W|ll|or n L.MNamura Frederlck Z. Fousz.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 28, 1944.

w. L. M NAMARA ETAL 2,363,681

LEI-IR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet I5 2% 7/ a N O 3 W a m g Q N INVENTORS William LM Namam Frcdzrick Z. Fousz.

Nov. 28, 1944. w, MCNAMARA r 2,363,681

LEI-IR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet '4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 000 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 00000000 0000000 0000000 0 00000000 000000000 0000000000 000000000 0000000000 0000000000 000000000 000 00000 000000 .00000 00 0 Q... .00000 00 0 000000 0 0000 00 0009*000 Q. 00000000 0000 0 0 0 Q... 000000 0000000000 000000 0 000000 0 00000 0000 .00000 0 000000 0 0.-.. 0000000 0 000000.0 000000 000000.0 Q0. Q... 0000000 00 000000000 000000000 000000 0000000000 0000000000 0000000000 000000000 000000000 0000000 00000.0.0 0 .0. .Q 00000000 000 0 000000 000000.0 000 0 0 000 00 00.. 00000. 0000 0 0.-. Q... 00000 0 0 .0000 00000 00000 0 v0000 00 0 000000 0 00000000 0 0...... 0 00000000 0 0... \.....Q 0000000.00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000 0 0 50 0 0 0??? 0 1000 0000 0 000 0 0 0 0 u u H 0 0 v0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 INVENTORS Nbx 28, 1944- w. L. MCNAMARA ET AL 2,353,581

15 Sheets-Sheet 6 LEI-IR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 INVENTORS Wilham L.MNumara FrederickZ. Fouse.

)5 ATTUP/VEKi Nov. 28, 19.44.

W. L. M NAMARA ETAL LEHR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 0000000000 wmwooooooooooo 00000000 00000 NTORS .MNamaru. Frzderick Z. Fouse. I M I INVE. William L ATTORNEYS Nov- 28, 1944- w. L. MCNAMARA ET AL 2,353,681 1 LEHR LOADER Filed om. a1, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENgORS wllhom L.M Namara, BY Frederick Z. Fouse.

A TTOPNEYS 9 v w. MCNAMAYRA ET AL 2,363,681

LEI-IR LOADER INVENTORS Frederick Z n Fouse.

BY M *M ATTORNEYS William L. M Namara.

' Nov. 28,1944. w, L MCNAMARA ETAL 2,363,681

LEI-IR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet l1 A TTYJDNFYS W. L. M NAMARA ETAL Nov. 28, 1944;

LEI-IR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Fig. 26

H Hllllllll Fig. 27

BY I M, M.

ATTORNEYS NOV. 28, 1944. w, MCNAMARA ET AL 2,363,681.

LE HR LOADER Filed Oct. 31, 1942 15 Sheets-Sheet l3 Fig. 30

I INVENTORS WIHICIIT! L. M Namara. Frederlck Z. Fouse. 1'

A TTOPNE Y5 Nov. 28, 1944. w. I MCNIAMARA ETAL LEHB LOADE'R l5 Sheets-Sheet l4 Filed Oct. 31

Fig32 I INVENTORS William L.MNomara. Frederick Z. Fouse- ATTORNEYS Nov. 28, 1944. w. L- MONAMARA ETAL 2,363,631

LEHR LOADER Filed Oqt. 51, 1942 15 sheets-sheet 15 was . Patented Nov.'28, 1944 Lena manna wmmh L: McNamara and Frederick z. Fonae, Lancaster, Ohio, assignorito Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application October 31, 1942, Serial No. 464,048

33 Claims. (Cl. 198-31) Our invention relates to a lehr loader. It has to do, more particularly, with apparatus for receiving glassware from a glass-forming machine and transferring it to an annealing'lehr, the

apparatus serving to arrange the glassware in.

the lehr in such a manner that a maximum amount of the ware' can be handled by the lehr.

At the present time, it is customary to transfer formed glassware from the forming machine onto a continuously moving conveyer where the ware is disposed in a singlefile; This continuousLv conveyer usually transfers the were to some type of lehr-loading apparatus. Many types of lehr loaders are employed at present.

One type commonly employed is known as the pusher bar time. Another type is known as the plow type. Both of these types of lehr loaders receive the ware fromthe continuously moving conveyer, assemble it inrows transversely of the front of theplehr and then push the articles or rows oiarticles. It is usually designed for handling one particular type of ware.

All .of the various types of lehr loaders mentioned above are of a comparatively complicated structure. They are of such a nature that considerable mechanism is involved in their operation. Furthermore, each of these types of lehr-loading apparatus requires timing mechamm: which is usually complicated, sensitive and requires accurate adjustment. Because of the complicated nature of these lehr loaders,

- theinitial cost of building such apparatus is onto the lehr conveyer. With this type of apparatus, there must be a sufllcient period elapse between the removal of the ware from the form-' ingmachineand the pushing of the ware into the lehr, in order to permit the ware to set suillciently so that its shape will not be injured by the pushing or plowing action. Furthermore, even if the ware is set sufficiently to prevent distortion thereof, the ware is subjected to considerable stress by this type of apparatus.

Another type of lehr loader employed is that type known as the gripping tong type. This type is. commonly employed in connection with bottles and grips the bottles by their :necks, while they are supported on the forming machine conveyer, lifts them and deposits them on the lehr conveyer. This type of apparatus may be of such anature that it will lift individual bottles or rows of bottles. Such apparatus can be used for certain types of ware only. It is usually designed for a specific shape, height and width of ware. Furthermore, many times considerable. Furthermore, the cost of operation and the cost of upkeep of these various forms of apparatus is considerable.

All of these lehr loaders have usually been of such a type that the most efficient arrangement of the glass articles onthe lehr conveyer is not accomplished. This increases the cost of oper-' ation of the lehr, and consequently, the cost of the glass articles treated in the lehr.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a lehr-loading apparatus of such a nature that the glass articles received thereby will be arranged on the leer vconveyer in the most cilicient manner.

Another object of, our invention is to provide a lehr loader which is of such a nature that the glass articles themselves while passing through the apparatus automatically arrange themselves to be presented to the'lehr conveyer in a most the tongs fail to grip the articles securely and,

consequently, they drop from the tongs. Also, in gripping the articles they. may damage'them. Another type of lehr loaderemployed at the present time is that type known as the vacuum chuck type. This type includes vacuum chucks which serve to pick up the articles from the forming machine conveyer and deposit them on the lehr conveyer. With this type of apparatus,

it sometimes happens that thevacuum fails to hold the article, due to various causes, and will drop the article. Such apparatus may be of such a nature that it will lift individual articles I eflicient manner.

Another object of our" invention is to provide a lehr loader which is of the type indicated in the preceding paragraph and which, consequently, is of an extremely simple structure, having a minimum amount of mechanism, and, therefore, which can be built initially 'at a minm'um cost and wherein the operation and upkeep costs will be reduced to a minimum.

Another object of our invention is to provide lehr-loading apparatus of the class described which will handle various type of ware without regard to its height, diameter, taper or other contour characteristics.

Another object of our invention is to provide lehr-loading apparatus of the type indicated chine and will-separate the different types of ware into different groups.

Another object of our invention is to provide lehr-loading apparatus which is of such a nature lehr-loading apparatus which is of such a nature that the glassware will not be subjected to undue stress.

' Another object of our invention is to provide a lehr-loading, apparatus of such a nature that the danger of dropping of articles will not be present.

Another object of our invention is to provide lehr-loading apparatus which can be adjusted readily for use with lehrs of different widths.

Another object of our invention is to provide lehr-loading apparatus which can be adjusted readily to the height of the lehr conveyer.

In its preferred form, our invention contemplates the provision'of a lehr-loading apparatus embodying a continuously moving conveyerdisposed in front of the lehr conveyer and moving in the same-direction as the lehr conveyer.

The continuously moving conveyer of our apparatus is preferably as wide or wider than the lehr conveyer and moves at a much higher rate of ing gate.

quence of operations will be repeated. Thus, the

gates are opened automatically by contact of the articles with the guide. Each article passing through a space opened by one gate will contact with the gate-opening portion of the succeeding gate and the gate-closing portion of the preced- Thus, this article-guiding and arranging unit will serve to automatically arrange the articles in a plurality of longitudinally extending laterally spaced rows on the longitudinally moving conveyer.

After the articles are arranged in longitudinal rows of longitudinally spaced articles, as indicated, the conveyer continues to move them beyond the article-guiding and arranging unit to a transfer unit of a suitable type which will serve as they are transferred from the lehrv loader conclosely spaced relationship.

invention.

veyer to the lehr conveyer. This will serve to bring' the articles or each longitudinal row into The preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts andwherein:

Figurel is .a side elevational view of a lehrloading apparatus constructed according to our Figure 2 is a top 'plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

structure which supports a plurality of gates that control the path of movement of the article.

When all the gates are in closed position, there is provided a continuous guiding surface which extends from the center or one side of the conveyer transversely to the outer or opposite edge of the conveyer.

This continuous guiding surface is disposed at anangle relative to the path of movement of-the conveyer, the articles received from the forming machine by the conveyerbeing moved into contact therewith at the forward end of such continuous guide. The guide is disposed on the stationary supporting structure of the unit and, consequently, as the articles are moved into contact therewith by the r continuously moving conveyer, they will be Figure 3 isa perspective view -of our apparatus. Y Figure l is a horizontalsectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure l.

t Figure 6 is a detail, mainly in sideelevation, partly broken away, of a transferring unit of the vibrating plate type for transferring articles from the lehr loader conveyer to the lehr conveyer;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a portion of the 1 unit'illus'trated in Figure 6.

Figure 8;is a perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating the unit shown in Figures 6 and '7. i

Figure 9 is a -detai1,'in vertical section, illustrating mechanism which we provide for con-' trolling each gate. 4

Figure 10 is atop plan view of a gate and the controlling mechanism shown in Figure 9.

article, which contacts with the guide, reaches the rear'oroutermost end of the guide.

time the first article will pass around the outer end of the outermost'gate and engage a gate.-

the article which-actuated the gate being moved along by-th'e c'onveyer. This permits the second" i the guide by opening of the first gate, and peror next article, being moved along the coritin-u- I ous guide, to pass-through the space, opened in H 3 them to the article-grading and arranging unit.

same time that the second article passes through V such space,-it will engage a gate-closing portion quence of operations will continue until the for.-

ward or innermost end of the continuousguide is reached. Then the next article will again carried by the first gate and close it. This se Figure '15 is a top plan'view illustrating a modifled gate control arrangement.

l' igure lfi is aside elcvational view, partly I broken away, of the structure shown in Figure 15. Figure 1']. is an end elevational view of the shown in Figure 16.

" s Figure s is a topfplan yiew, partly broken move to the outermost or rear gate-and the se- 7:5

away, ofanother modified type of gate control employ.

position by the jack 4.

Figure 19 is a vertical'sectional view taken substantially along line |'l-|l of Figure 18. Figure 20 is an end elevational view, partly broken away, of .the structure shown in Figures 18 and 19.

Figure 21 is an end elevational view of another type of gate control mechanism which we may Figure 22 is "a. verticalsectional through the'structure shown .in Figure 21.-

Figure 23 is atop plan view, partly broken view takenaway, of a transferring unit 1 of the roller type veyer to the lehr conveyer. 1 I

Figure 24 is a vertical sectional-view taken substantially along line 21-24-01 Figure-23. Figure 25 is a top plan view, partly broken "away, of a transferring unit of the'walking beam Figure 26 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 24-26 of Figure 25.

Figure 27 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figures 25 and 26.

Figure 2B is a perspective view of the unit shown in Figures 25, 26 and 2'1.

' for transferring articles from the lehr loader con- 1 Figure 29 is a plan view. partly broken away,

V of a gate used to control the feed of rectangular articles to different portions of the article-guiding and arranging apparatus.

Figure 30 is a side elevational view of the strucs ture shown inFigure 29. V

Figure 31 is a top plan view. partly broken away, illustrating a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure'l i.

Figure 32 is a-perspective viewof the apparatus shown'in Figure 31.

Figure 33 is a" top plan view, partly broken 1 away, of a modified form of article-engaging and arranging unit.

Figure 34 is a vertical sectional view taken sub stantiallyalong line 34-34 of Figure 33.

With reference to the drawings, we havedllustrated our lehr-loading apparatus associated with theconveyer l of a continuous type lehr. The conveyer lmoves continuously at a slow rate of speed. Our apparatus'is adapted to receive the maximum efficiency of the lehr.

Our apparatus, as shown in Figures 1. 2 and 3,

comprises a frame 2 fabricated from suitable channel beams and angle irons. The frame 2 is made portable by means ofpivote'd casters 3 dis-- 7 posed at each of the lower corners thereof.

Adjacent each caster is a screw Jack. 4 supported by the frame. By manipulating the jack4, the casters 3 will be lifted from the surface. and the frame will be supported immovably in a'flxed ment of the jacks 4, the frame may be made portable or may be held in anyflxed position. Furthermore, the height of the frame relative to Thus, by proper adJusti The upper flight of each of these belts ported on the upper end of the frame 2 and'exv tends. for the full width and length thereof. Thus, the upper flight of the belts 6, I and s are disposed in the s'amehorizontal plane and the belts are disposed side by sidewith their adjacent edges close to each other. The belts are preferably made of wire mesh material of the same nature as that usually provided for the lehr conveyer I. ,The belt 3 is of the same width as the I belt I but the belt 8 is of substantially less width.

A transversely extending belt-supporting roller It is disposed-at one end of the frame 2 and is rotatably carried by brackets extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the upper and thereof. The-top surface of the roller It will be at substantially the same level as thetop surface of the plates. This roller extends the full width of the frame 2. At the other end of the frame 2.

a transversely extending. belt-supporting roller l2 is provided. This roller also extends the full width of the frame and is rotatably carried by brackets l3 extending from the frame. These brackets are secured to the end of the frame adjacent the upper portion thereof and rotatably support the roller l2 in such a manner that its upper surface will be at substantially the same level as the upper surface of the plate 9.

An adjustable belt-supporting roller I4 is carried by the frame 2 at a point intermediate the length of the frame and at a point spaced below the top plate 9 of the frame. This roller 4 ex- 1 full width of the frame and isrotatably carried by hearing members |5 which tends transversely the are mounted for longitudinal movement in guide ways it. These guideways l8 are supported by the frame and 'extend longitudinally thereof. The bearing members I! are' adjusted longitudinallyof the guideways It by means of ad- .justing screws I'I. At a point spaced-slightly be-.

low the roller l4 and spaced slightly to the left thereof (Figure 1) is another transversely ex- Q tending roller I8 which extends the full width' of ware from the forming machine and supply it to the lehr conveyer in such a manner that it will Learranged on the lehr conveyer to obtain 2. These brackefi fiar'e carried by a transversely extending angle iron 24 (Figure 1) which-extends the full width of frame land is secured to-the upper edges of brackets adjacent -the outer ends thereof. The members 2| have .bars 25 figidly secured thereto at their upper ends. The

lower ends of these bars rotatably carry a shaft 26. This shaft 26 has the outer and-upper end' of a rod 21 rigidlysecured thereto. This rod 21 the lehr. may be adiusted by means of thejacks 4. I

,On the upper end of the frame 2, the conveyer unit I is disposed. This conveyer unit is of the endless belt type and the frame 2 will be so related to the lehr that the conveyer will extend and move in the same direction as the lehr conveyer l. Furthermore, the jacks 4 will base adjusted that the conveyer unit 5 will be disposed Just slightly higher than; the conveyer l.

The conveyer unit 5 consists of side conveyer belts 8 and fl and an intermediate conveyer belt 8. All of these conveyer belts are of the endless type.

has its lower-threaded end passing loosely through. a'block member 28 (Figure 3) which is pivotally mounted between a pair of upstanding angle brackets 28 carried'by the lower portion of the frame 2. By means of lock nuts 30 disposed on the threaded portionof rod 21 on opposite sides of the block 28, the rod 21 may be adjusted longitudinally relative to the block. By means of this) adjustment, the members 2| may be adjusted into exact horizontal position. The outer ends of the members 2| carry inclinedbrackets- 3| which rotatably' support a belt-supporting roller passes over a horizontally disposed plate 9 which is supwe provide a. pivoted gate structure 39. structure 39 is carried by an anglebar 46 which stantially the same level as the members 2|.

The endless belts 6 and I pass along the plate 9, over and downwardly around the roller l2, underneath the plate 9, over and downwardly around the roller 14, back to the roller l8, downwardly aroundthe roller l8 and then upwardly to the roller Ill and finally upwardly around this roller over the plate 9. The intermediate belt 8 passes horizontally along the extension 2a of the frame, along the top plate 9 and follows in the same path as the other belts until it passes beyond the roller l8. Then it passes upwardly and outwardly to the roller 32 and then upwardly over this roller. It will be apparent that by adjusting the roller l4 along the guides I6, the tension of all the belts 6, 1 and 8 can be adjusted simultaneously. I

The belts 6, l and 8 are driven continuously and simultaneously at the same rate of speed by means of a chain and sprocket drive 33 extending to roller l8 from a combination gear-reducing and motor unit 34. This unit 34 is supported on a horizontal plate-356 carried by the lower portion of the frame 2. This unit 34 is of the variable speed type and may be regulated by a handwheel 360. The unit 34 will, consequently, serve to drive the conveyer belts 6, I and 8 continuously- 1 and 2).

In order to heat the belts 6; I and 8 to prevent them from chilling the glassware to be supported- ,thereby, a burner unit is provided. This burner unit is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1. It is preferably of a. ribbon type that extends the full width of the frame and is supported by members. Ii in such a manner that the flame thereof will strike the roller Ill. The roller l0 will be heated and will transmit the heat to the tudinally extending closely laterally spaced rows of ware on the conveyer belts. 6, 1 and 8.

The unit 36 shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive,

is of a type suitable for separating two different types of ware which is supplied to the conveyer 8. These types of ware will be designatedA and B and it is to be understood that they from each other in shape or some other characteristic. The unit 36 is divided into two sub-units 31 and 38, asshown in Figure 2. The unit 3'l.is

I adapted to receive and arrange the articles of ype. A ware while the unit38 is adapted to receive and arrange the articles of type B of the ware. The units 31 and 38 are disposed transversely of 7 the conveyeribelts and at an angle to the path of movement thereof. ,Their right-hand ends (Figure 2) orforward ends converge and their rear ends diverge to points adjacent the outer edges of the conveyer belts 6 and I.

j To separate the articlessupplied to the conveyer belt 8 so that articlesA will be supplied to unit,3 and" articles B will be supplied to unit 38,

I 32. The upper surface of this roller 32 is at subextends transversely of the conveyer unit at a point spaced thereabove a suflicient distance to permit the article to pass therebeneath (Figures This bar 46 extends-the full width of the frame and has its outer ends carried on the upper ends of posts 4|. These posts 4| are supported by plate 9 adjacent the outer edges thereof. The upper ends of the posts are threaded and pass loosely through openings in member 40. The threaded portion of members 4| carry nuts 42 above and below member 40. By adjusting these nuts, the height, of member 40 relative to the conveyer belts may be adjusted.

The gate unit 39 embodies a gate member '43 which, as shown, is Y-shaped having a single forwardlydisposed article-guiding portion 44 and a pair of rearwardly disposed gate-moving .por-

-tions 45 which diverge rearwardly (Figure 4).

The gate member 43 is keyed onthe lower end of a shaft 46 (Figure 1) which supports it. This shaft 46 has its upper end rotatably supported in a. block member which is illustrated best in Figures 9 and 11. The block 41 includes a guide portion or key 48 which extends into a slot 49 extending longitudinally in the vertical portion of angle member 40. A clamping screw andnut member 56 passes through slot 49 and is threaded into black member 41. When this bolt member 50 is loosened, the block member 4'! may be adjusted longitudinally of slot 49. When mem-. ber 50 is tightened, the member 41 will be tightly clamped in position. Thus; the shaft 46 which carries gate member 43 may be moved to an exact position midway between the edges of the belt 8. The upper end of the. shaft 46 is rotatably mounted within a sleeve member 5| by means of a, roller bearing assembly 52 disposed within the lower end of member 5| and a ball bearingassembly 53 disposed within the upper end thereof.

40 The sleeve 5I.. is non-rotatably held within a socket in the block member 41 by a dowel pin, 54 disposed in an opening in member 5! and extending intoa vertical slot 55 formed in member'4l.

carries 'a stop member or pin'58 which is located inwardly from pin 51.

The members 5'! and .58 are in alignment with each other and the member 58 is of considerably less height than the member 51. The lateral extension 56. rests upon the upper surface 59 of block member 41, see Figures 9 and 11.

Keyed to the extreme upper end of the shaft.

46 is an oscillatable arm or. member 66. This arm is keyed to the shaft intermediate the ends of the arm and is disposed abovethe member 56. Its inner endis bifurcated or provided with a notched portion 6| which cooperates with stop pin 58 to limit the swinging movement of the member 66. its outer end carries an upstanding This pin 62. The pins 62 and 51 have their upper ends at the same level and have grooves 63 formed therein around which the ends of -a tension spring 64 are passed. If desired, the arm 68 may be provided-with a second pin 629 which depends, from the member and, as shown; is in alignment with pin 62.

The spring 64 will tend to keep the gate member 43 in any position to which it ismoved and will aid, in moving it into such position after movement is initiated by the article. In operation, as shown best in Figure 4,.the successive articles contacting tee-tee member will swing it .from one side to the other. For example, if the guiding portion 44 thereof is atthe position indicated in full lines in Figure 4, the articleA will contact therewith and, since it is being moved along withthe conveyer belt 8, it will be deflected laterally toward the unit TI. As the article moves along the gate and passes beyond the shaft 46,.

. side of the pivot point'so that itwill engage the next successive article B and deflect it toward the unit 38. Thus, the gate will be moved from one side to the other by the article which it guides to the different units 31 and I8.

When the gate is swung to oneside or the other, the shaft 48 rotates the member 44 and swings the arm 60 to the corresponding side. This throws the pin 82 off center relative to the pin 51. Consequently, spring 64 will tend to hold the arm 60 and, consequently, the gate 43 in such position. The extent of movement of the gate will be limited by the notched portion 8| cooperon the lower end of a shaft Ila the upper end of which -is rotatably supported in a block 41a in the manner previously described. The blocks illustrated best in Figures 10 and 12. It comprises an article-guiding portion 13 disposed on one side of shaft a and a gate-actuating portion 14 disposed on the opposite side of the shaft ating with pin 58 of member 56. The spring 64 will be of suflicient strength to normally prevent accidental movement of the gate which might be caused by vibration of the apparatus or by some other factor. However, the spring is not of sun!- cient strength to interfere with the 'easy movement of the gate to its two different positions by contact of the articles therewith. The gate will be extremely light and will be supported closely adjacent but not in contact with the moving belt, as seen in Figure 1. Consequently, the gate will. be readily swung into. its different positions by the articles without danger of upsetting -the articles. The conveyer'belt 8 will move at a com- ;paratively'high rate of speed so that the gate will be actuated efliciently.

The article-guiding and arranging units 31 and 38 are of identical construction. They are supported by horizontallydisposed angle members 65 (Figures 1' and 2) arranged in the form of a V with the'vertex forward or at the right-hand end, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The angle members 65 have their forward converging ends a; The portion 13 is disposed at a slight angle relative to the portion 14. The portion I4 is Y-shaped and includes a gate-opening finger l5 and a gate-closing finger Ii. Before any articles are fed to the units 31 and It by the conveyer belt 8, all ofthe gates 12 will be in closed position, as shown in full lines,

Figure 4. In such position, the article-guiding portions 13 of the gates of each of the units fl and .38 will serve to produce a continuous article-guiding surface extending from a point at the middle of conveyer belt 8 to a point Mi the outer edge of the oonveyer belt 6 or 1. Thus, when an article is guided to the inner or forward end of either of such units, for example, when an article A is guided to the inner end of unit 31 (Figures 2 and 4), it will contact with this continuous article-guiding surface. Since the conveyer belts l andil will be moved continuously at a fairly high rate of speed, the article being carried by the moving belt contacts thecontinuous guiding surface and will be moved by such stationary guiding surface laterally outwardly on the moving conveyer belt. The force of the article against portions 13 of the closed gates, due

- to friction of the moving belts with the bottoms of the articles, will keep the gates closed. The

. article will'continue to contact with the continusecured to a longitudinally extending support 681 This support 65 is disposed midway between the edges of the conveyer unit and has its forward end bolted to the angle member 40 as at 61. The a rear end of this member 86 is bolted, as at 68,

,to a transversely extending angle member 69' which is disposed parallel to member 40 but adjacent the opposite end of the frame (Figure 2). The member 69 extends the full width of the frame and is supported on posts III which are the same as the posts ll, see Figure 1. By ad- .iustment of the nuts carried bythe posts 4| and 10,. the height of the units 31 and 38 and the gate unit 39 may be adjusted simultaneously. It

ousv guiding surface until the outermost gate 12 is reached. Whenthis gate is reached, the ar-' ticle will pass beyond the pivot point of the gate and into contact-with the gate-operating portion 14. The article will contact the opening portion 15 of the gate and will swing the portion 14 of" the gate inwardly toward the center of the conveyer. The gates 12, likethe gate It, will be sup.-

ported closely adjacent the conveyer belt but not in contact'therewith. The friction of'the bot tom of the-article against the conveyer belt will be s'uilicient to overcome resistance of the outer,-

. most gate to movement by the first article. Opening of the outermost gate in this manner will swing the article-guiding portion I3 thereof outwardly toward the outer edge of the conveyer belt 1. *While in this position the portion 11 of such will be noted that the rear. or outer ends of the angle members are disposed substantially at the outer edgesof conveyer belts 8 and 1.

Each of the units 31 and :a consists 01; a plurality of gate units. shown as a whole at II, Fig

ure 0. The supportingstructure and control mechanism foreach of the gate units H is identical with that described in connection withthe gate unit '39, Each gate member 12 is supported gate will not ,act as an article-guidingportion. a

The first article will at this time be disposed adjacent the. outer edge of belt I and will be moved on beyond the gate. The next article which comes along will move along the continuous ar-' ticle-guiding surface, formed by portions 13 of the closed gate, until the space opened by the portion 13 of the outermost gate is reached. .At

this time, the second article will pass through such space. In passing through such space, the second article will be continuously in contact with the second gate and will not contact with 

